


truth or dare

by darlingod



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, and feyre being like ugh this asshole, drunk, emo feyre who doesn’t wanna party, feyre being a bitch back, feyre being like ugh this gorgeous asshole again, happy ending ;), ianthe being a snotty bitch, no fae:(, no powers :(, oh and it’s modern, rhys being PROTECTIVE, rhys showing up, tamlin being MEAN, then tamlin showing up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2021-01-03 21:34:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21186341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingod/pseuds/darlingod
Summary: Lucien makes the unwilling Feyre go to a party. She’s upset: her and Tamlin haven’t been in a good place lately. She had been falling out of love with him for a long time, something she would never let herself admit. Nonetheless, she attends the party for his attention. When the inner circle unexpectedly arrives to the party to join their small game of truth or dare, Feyre’s annoyed. But not as annoyed when Tamlin shows up to the party inebriated as hell.





	truth or dare

**Author's Note:**

> “ feysand for #1 pls my darling god ”  
t or d

I didn’t want to come to the party. I knew would see too many people that I disliked, and getting tipsy around strangers wasn’t seemingly ideal. Not at all.

It was Lucien’s idea. He told me he wanted me to start socializing and make new friends. I scoffed and told him I was perfectly fine with the two I already had. A mistake and a lie.

That only made him annoy me more into going.

I knew Tam wasn’t coming, he wouldn’t tell me where he was going earlier today. He never told me anything. He would go days without texting or calling me, then randomly show up at my door, pretending he didn’t do any of those things. Admittedly, he was a narcissist, but I could never tell him that. Maybe he wasn’t the perfect boyfriend that I always hoped to have, but I missed the old him, how he used to be when we started dating. I wanted that back badly.

And if he found out I went to the party… It was unquestionable to how he would react; still, it was a way of getting his attention. I should’ve cared how desperate it made me. I know. Being lonely made me this way.

I didn’t want to play the stupid game either. I solely agreed because Lucien promised to bring me home after. Withal, it wouldn’t hurt toplay _one _game. It was only midnight. Besides, no one here knew me so I didn’t have to worry about anyone picking me. I wouldn’t have had to worry at all since a mere amount of people knew I even existed.

My stomach twisted. I did not want to be here at all. The house we were in was majorly damaged, the wooden walls were stained along with the would’ve-been-white ceiling. The couches were an odd brown-mustard color and were arranged to face one another about several feet away. We were sitting on the smaller couch in the irregularly large living room (as other rooms weren’t nearly as spacious), facing the door that led right outside to the car I so desperately wanted to leave in. The game would be over soon, I reassured myself for the fifth time before the game had even begun.

“Lucien,” Ianthe drawled from the couch across from us. Lucien shifted uncomfortably beside me. He gave me a strained look. “Truth or dare?” Devilry was plastered on Ianthe’s annoyingly pretty face. I wished someone would snap and rip her shiny blonde hair out. She was wearing a v-neck tank top that was most likely very expensive, as everything had to be for her. The shine of the velvet made her aggravatingly gorgeous eyes stand out.

I couldn’t tell if my headache was from the colored flashing lights and music or her. Intriguingly, I was one of the few who despised her, a fact I will forever be puzzled and amazed by. Surely there had to be other people other than Lucien and I, right? No. There wasn’t.

The two of Ianthe’s friends that accompanied her stared at Lucien with greedy eyes. Perhaps I could rip those out instead. If I got Ianthe to turn around to notice, she would unknowingly do it for me. Not tonight though, I thought. Not when I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

“Truth.” Lucien replied. Ianthe smoothed out the short denim skirt she was wearing and rolled her eyes. To most people it is seen as weak if you choose truth, though I didn’t blame Lucien. Ianthe had been trying to get Lucien’s attention since Tamlin introduced her to him years ago, before I transferred to their school. I heard she threatened some girls who were talking about him in the locker room. I don’t know what she said, but now many of the girls at school won’t even spare a glance at Lucien. Cauldron knows what she would’ve dared him to do.

“Are you sure?” She smirked, desire filling her green-blue eyes. She played with a strand of her blonde hair.

“I said truth, didn’t I?” He retorted, not giving her the time of day. The corner of my mouth lifted at his sassy response. I could always count on his ginger sass to improve my mood.

“Fine,” she huffed, crossing her tan arms, “do you really–”

“Mind if we join?” A rough, ignorant voice cut Ianthe off. Not that I minded in the slightest. If she had kept talking, my headache would’ve become ultimately permanent. I peeked toward the speaker’s direction to see Cassian, Azriel, cheerful as ever. Morrigan and Amren, stunning as ever. And finally, the ignorant voice, Rhysand, irritating as ever. I slowly took up more space on the scratchy couch to show there was no room for an extra person, especially him.

We had enough people playing anyway.

Rhys had been the one to cause me to receive detention, multiple times. (Most of my classes were with Tamlin, which lead to Tam’s nimble threats of “kicking Rhys’s ass”). He seemed glad to do it, as he would also be joining me in detention. He was always smiling at me, a bastard’s smile, that is. His glorious face made it even easier to hate him because no one should be _that_ perfect. It wasn’t fair or even the slightest realistic.

“Of course.” Ianthe purred, waving at Rhys. That stupid wave she does _all the time_, where she wiggles her fingers slightly. You don’t have to wave at everybody. For a second I think about breaking that hand. Wouldn’t that just be the worst?

Ianthe cast sparkling eyes at Rhys and made more than enough room for him on their couch, squishing her friends into uncomfortability. I accidentally released a scoff and she gave me a vulgar gesture that I relentlessly returned. And instead of Rhys, Cassian gladly sat in the seat beside her and took up as much space as he liked. He reasonably couldn’t help it either, he was huge. I was surprised that their muscles didn’t rip through their shirts.

Everyone thought Cassian and Azriel and Rhys were taking steroids. I didn’t believe it but I saw why others did. Tam was almost as big as them and all he did was constantly work out. No rumors were spread about him, people were too afraid of Tam. Throughout this year I had begun to understand why.

Cassian had his own bottle of wine and started to chug it. He spilled some on his grey long sleeve. Ianthe’s mouth set into a thin line as she watched. I smiled on the inside. Azriel went to sit on an empty chair to the left beside Cassian, and Rhys looked in my direction, saw the absurd amount of space I was occupying, smiled like a feline, then– “Mind making room for me?” Morrigan asked, her smile perfect and white. I happily obliged and made space only because of the look on Rhys’s face when she had asked me. He squinted his eyes at her and she shrugged. I decided that she was my favorite of their inner circle.

It was intimidating being around someone this attractive. I bet she was even a pretty crier. Her golden hair and eyes were only a few of the many superb things about her. She could wear a garbage bag and still manage to stun. I longed to obtain that type of beauty.

Amren made one of Ianthe’s friends sit on the ground, and then made Ianthe and her remaining friend scoot over so she would sit by Cassian. I could tell Ianthe was scared of Amren because Ianthe stared at the carpet, eyes wide, avoiding looking at her at all. By the smug look on Amren’s face, she knew it too.

Rhys took a seat by Azriel on the cheap carpet with a slightly bothered look on his face. I caught myself staring at him for too long and cast my eyes to Ianthe, for the sake of her dying dignity, of course.

“Alright then,” Ianthe started, shaking out of her trance. Her gaze laid admiringly on Rhys, who either didn’t seem to notice or care. Despite her headache causing personality, I couldn’t understand why Rhys ignored Ianthe. She was beautiful and intelligent and flirty. He never even acknowledged her presence. I realized Rhys could have any girl he wanted, and yet he chose to reject every girl that came his way. I wondered why. “Shall we continue?” Ianthe raised perfectly arched brows at Lucien.

“We shall.” I replied mockingly with a small venomous smile on my face, all of it directed toward her. Morrigan chuckled beside me and Amren was grinning like the devil. Ianthe didn’t bother glancing at me and kept her eyes on Lucien.

She leaned forward, “Do you really think Tam isn’t good enough for Feyre?” _What_? I felt my cheeks heat up and I harmlessly elbowed Lucien. If it weren’t for the completely inane question, I might’ve regarded the nickname she thought she was privileged to use.

“What is she talking about?” I harshly whispered, although everyone could understand what I was saying. I wished the music was louder, despite my headache. Why did she think that? Had Lucien been talking to her lately? Hurt writhed in my gut. I sank lower into the couch, which apparently smelled more like alcohol the lower leveled you on it were. I tried stabilizing my breathing.

Lucien gave me an apologetic look then turned his attention back to Ianthe. He made me come to the damn party, the least he could do was owe me an explanation. “Not entirely,” he started to confess a bit hesitantly, I peered at him through my lashes, “I believe they aren’t right for each other.” He said simply and leaned back on the couch, his face impassive. Loud whispers broke around the room and Ianthe appeared to be too fulfilled with herself. I’d concluded someone should’ve just thrown her out entirely. I would have blissfully volunteered to be that someone, smiling all the while.

“Where is this coming from?” I asked quietly and he shook his head back and forth. “You could have just lied. The game isn’t that serious.” I added, a little hurt by what he had confessed to everyone.

It reminded me of how he would answer my questions about Tam, avoiding actually answering. Maybe he was also scared of him. The three males across from us went quiet. Mor and Amren were having a silent conversation with each other.

“I’m sorry.” Was all Lucien murmured to me before he searched the room for the next target. His eyes stopped at the other person sitting next to the right of me. “Morrigan,” her smile turned smug. “Truth or–”

“Dare.” She answered definitively.

Lucien responded quickly, already knowing what he wanted her to do. “Fill your mouth with water, and each person in the group must tell the funniest joke they know. If you spit up the water, you have to eat a spoonful of dirt.” She scrunched her face at the mention of dirt. What a lame dare.

An extremely blond haired, which at a glance it might have appeared white, male on the floor handed her a clear liquid that resembled water, though its strong smell indicated otherwise. She muttered a thank you to the man she called Kallias. Morrigan took a gulp, then another before keeping the contents in her mouth.

She went around the group, starting with Kallias on the floor, making me last. She almost broke a few times, especially at Rhys and Cassian’s wildly inappropriate jokes (oddly about wings...?) that I had trouble not laughing at. Amren made it clear she wasn’t playing, her silver eyes gleamed with ‘fuck off’ Azriel’s joke didn’t make any sense. It must have been an inside joke because Morrigan had choked. After Lucien’s failed attempt, I was to go.

The room’s temperature had gone up multiple degrees. Morrigan looked at me readily, and I nervously glanced around the circle of people, as if it would help. Everyone was looking at me, expectant. I wasn’t funny, I was boring and–

My eyes locked with Rhys’s, and right then and there, I decided what I would say. I looked Morrigan dead in the eye when I said, “Rhys and I.” Her eyes widened as she understood my stupid vague joke. Cassian and Azriel burst out laughing, it sounded like they were choking. Morrigan turned her attention to Rhys, who was looking at me with his eyebrows raised. Vodka uncontrollably sprayed out of Morrigan’s mouth in his direction, some spraying onto my leggings. I was too satisfied by her reaction to care.

“_Shit_.” She wiped her mouth and grunted when she noticed the wet spots on her dress. “I was so close.” She locked eyes with Lucien, who was waiting for her to complete the dare. She made a face, and assured him, “I’ll eat the dirt later,” then, low enough that only I could hear, “No I won’t.” I repressed the urge to laugh, not wanting to draw anymore unwanted eyes toward me.

“Rhys,” Cassian said, still laughing, “Feyre totally just destroyed you,” he reached over the side of the couch and patted Rhys on the back and the male just couldn’t stop laughing. I don’t know what he found so hilarious about it. Azriel was surveying the color flashing lit room, however, his lips were tucked into his mouth, indicating suppressed laughter. “Oh cauldron,” Cassian put a hand to his chest and right before he started to laugh again, Rhys smiled tightly and reached over and pinched Cassian’s calf. Cassian cooled down after that, resting himself back against the couch. His grin failed to leave his face and he gave me two thumbs up, his hands behind the arm rest so Rhys wouldn’t notice.

He too, joined Rhys and I in detention. What a lovely show they perform together.

“Alright,” Morrigan’s eyes immediately darted toward Rhys, “truth or dare?”

I don’t know why, but Rhys glanced between Morrigan and I a few times before saying, “Dare.” His face was audacious, eager for a challenge. Morrigan looked pleased.

“Call the most attractive person in the room.” Rhys’s bright smile faltered and he stiffened. Morrigan starred behind Rhys, at the snickering males, and joined their laughter. Giggles started to erupt from Ianthe’s group. I stared down at my chewed nails to distract myself for reasons I wouldn’t let myself admit.

“My number is two,” Ianthe began, “eight, six–”

“Feyre darling,” Rhys purred, cutting Ianthe off for the second time tonight. I felt goosebumps rising under my, thankfully, long sleeve shirt. I lifted my head up and focused all my ‘interest’ on Rhys to piss off Ianthe. Rhys’s smile had returned, as if he knew exactly what I was doing.

Maybe pissing Ianthe off wasn’t only what I was trying to do. Maybe I was letting myself have fun for once.

“I’m going to need your number for this one,” Rhys arrogantly said. For a moment I considered giving him my number to feed into Ianthe’s anger. I took a peek at her and noticed her giving me a death glare.

I instantly brought my eyes back to Rhys. “Three five nine,” I smirked when he squinted at me, showing he didn’t trust me. So he was smart. I leaned forward, “Shove it up your ass.” I finished off in a sing song voice.

Cassian smacked Rhys’s back again. “She is _killing _you man!” Rhys ignored Cassian and his eyes stayed on me, his grin never wavering. Having his full attention was very alarming. Sometimes I couldn’t help but hold my breath.

“Truth or dare, Feyre?” Rhys raised his thick eyebrows at me. Normally I wouldn’t hesitate to choose dare, though the look of mischief on his golden face made me vacillate.

After seconds of careful consideration, I settled upon the more perilous one for the hell of it. “Dare.” I wanted to look down from his fierce stare, but I wouldn’t, to show him I could handle whatever he throws at me.

His deep blue eyes glittered at my response, slightly unnerving me. “I dare you to give me your number,” he looked at me expectantly. I noiselessly released the breath I was holding in as relief flowed through me. As much as I wanted to scowl at Rhys, he could’ve made me do something worse. And joining his game sounded far more interesting. I returned the smile, which seemingly pleased him even more.

“Two seven zero,” I began, “three two nine, seven six four one.”

His grin grew impossibly wider. “Now,” he started, “I would very much prefer your actual number, if you don’t mind.” I totally minded, though I figured he would get it somehow, and it wouldn’t hurt anybody to give him my number. I pursed my lips.

I can always block him.

“Fine.” I finally gave up. Cassian and Azriel both looked at me, surprised. I heard a door slam shut. “Two eight nine, six four four, nine-”

“Feyyyreeee,” a very intoxicated Tamlin cut me off. His green shirt was damp, I could tell it was from a drink by the long trail of it. How the hell did he get here? I fought an extremely tempting urge to roll my eyes. He stood by Azriel, not noticing the motionless male right below him. I fought the impulse to call him out for leaving me today. But this is what I wanted, wasn’t it?

Ianthe gave him a once over, eyes full of lust, and waved. My smile managed to lose me. “I missed you, baby,” he said to me, sticking his bottom lip out. I cringed at the pet name. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Morrigan did too. I didn’t bother asking where he was today. He would avoid the question and yell at me when we were alone for questioning him around other people.

“I bet you did.” My cheeks started to flare and my eyes started to burn. He was terribly embarrassing me and was too shit faced to know it. I almost got up and walked out right then, but I caught the look Rhys was giving Tamlin: utter disgust. That single look made me hesitate, making me scared enough that I thought if I left they would end up fighting. I begrudgingly stayed on the itchy couch with stains that I didn’t want to know were from.

It was no secret Tamlin and Rhys despised each other. Their fathers were owners of different electronic industries, both one of the highest ranked in the world.

No one would dare admit they knew Rhys’s dad was more successful; almost every teen owned at least one of his products (except me, I wasn’t “allowed”).

Tamlin hated him for it. Rhys just hated him for reasons unknown.

It really wasn’t my business anyway.

A gasp came from the inebriated. “Lucien!” Tamlin exclaimed as he found his friend and walked over to us. When he noticed there was no space left on the couch, he turned around, and plopped himself on Lucien’s lap. Lucien let out a grunt of pain. I could already tell he was having trouble breathing, though messing with an intoxicated Tamlin was a dangerous game. I would know.

I could’ve tried to make more room but I didn’t want to make Morrigan uncomfortable by squishing her to death as Ianthe carelessly did to her “friends”

“I can sit on the floor,” she offered, already standing up. Her blue dress was still drying off from the vodka she spit out not too long ago.

“No, you’re fine. I can sit on the floor. It’s my fault he’s here anyway,” I assured her.

She glanced at Tamlin with an expression loaded with distaste. “I would really rather prefer to sit on the floor,” she said, her tone bitter, and moved next to Rhys. I murmured an apology so Tamlin wouldn’t hear. I didn’t know if she heard me and immediately felt worse.

I reluctantly made space for Tamlin, which he tipsily sat in, and he put a sweaty arm around me. I pushed it off and his bright green eyes turned dark.

“Why did you do that?” he demanded to know. If we weren’t surrounded by people I would’ve apologized because he might have hit me if we were alone. I was bolder with an audience.

“You’re too sweaty.” I replied a bit snottily. He scoffed and put his arm back around me. I winced at the smell radiating from him and quickly looked to Rhys, whose eyes were very attached to the arm around me. Amren was squinting at me and I thought I saw disappointment in her eyes. I slowly sank lower into the couch.

“Sooo what are we playing guys?” Tamlin raised his eyebrows highly at the circle, skimming over Rhys. So he _had _noticed him, but thought himself better and pretended not to. I wasn’t surprised.

“Truth or dare.” Ianthe answered. Typical. Did she ever _shut the fuck up__?_

_”_Well don’t let me stop you.” Tamlin responded and put his other arm around Lucien. It bothered me that he continued to stare at Ianthe. He didn’t even try to hide it. Ianthe noticed and suddenly her skirt was higher up than seconds before. I threw my jealousy away and scanned the room for someone to most likely dare. Rhys was analyzing me, his expression now unreadable. I looked to the person behind him, Azriel.

“Azriel, truth or dare–”

“You never finished your dare, Feyre,” Ianthe called me out, false innocence was on her face. I thought Rhys was going to rat me out further and I worridley looked to him on the floor. He was already speaking.

“_Forget it_,” he growled, glaring at Ianthe. Even Azriel appeared pissed off.. Rhys turned to me and his face instantly softened. I should have been relieved; however, it didn’t settle that fact that I knew Ianthe wouldn’t give it up.

“It would only be fair if Feyre continued telling you her number,” she shrugged, then met Tamlin’s enraged self, “Right?” She batted her eyelashes.

“_What_?” He yelled, then looked at me very angrily. He took his arm back and I flinched. My breathing fastened.

“It was just a dare,” I whispered, fighting against the urge to cry, “please don’t get mad,” I gathered he wasn’t fond of my plead as he gaped at me with drunken fury.

“Don’t get mad?” He stood up, towering over me. I caught Cassian digging his nails into the cheap couch, as if he was restraining himself. “You gave Rhys your number!”

“Because I was dared to,” I said calmly, not able to meet his eyes. I felt like screaming in his face. “Tam it’s not that big of a deal–”

“I don’t give a shit! You’re mine.” He said possessively. I heard fumbling noises behind him. I would have looked, though, I didn’t want anyone to witness me cry. I took what I said before back. I did _not_ want any of his attention, not now or ever again. “Just because I’m gone you think you can go whore around and give your number to any guy that will fuck you?” I was speechless. Tears started to fall down my face at a quicker pace. “You piece of–”

“I would be very, _very_ careful with how you speak to Feyre,” Rhys casually said, suddenly standing behind Tamlin, his hands in his pockets. Restraint was full in his voice. Although he was smiling, I could see the poison in it, the hatred.

“I get to speak to her however I want,” Tamlin spat back, “she’s _mine_.” I wasn’t ready for what happened next. Neither was Tamlin as Rhys tackled him, both flipping over the couch Lucien and I sat on. The both fell over on the hardwood floor. Rhys got the upper hand by landing on top of Tamlin. I scrambled off the couch. People started to circle around them. I didn’t realize how many people were here.

Rhys and Tamlin had never gotten in a fight before. There’s no doubt this fight was long awaited, it was always bound to happen. Ianthe must have felt extraordinary for instigating the situation.

Morrigan came to stand by me. She didn’t hide her smile as Rhys punched Tamlin square in the jaw, then his nose, which started bleeding only seconds after. Tamlin scratched at Rhys’s face.

I didn’t know what to do. My headache worsened and I thought I was going to faint.

“Feyre,” Cassian came to stand on the other side of me, Azriel joined him. “He’s not going to stop unless you tell him to.” Tamlin was struggling to get a hold on Rhys. People held their phones out, already recording.

“Incase you haven’t noticed, Tamlin doesn’t listen to me.” I said, my anger directed to Tamlin only.

“Not Tamlin, Rhys.” I stared at Cassian, confused.

“Why don’t you or Azriel stop him?” I asked. They both gave each other a look.

“We don’t necessarily want to,” Cassian grimaced guiltily, I could tell he felt bad about it. I brought my vision back to the two bastards fighting. Rhys’s shiny jacket was torn on the left shoulder. There was mixed shoutings of both of their names swarming in the crowd.

“It pisses you of doesn’t it?” Tamlin managed to cough up. “She’s mine and you can’t _stand_ it.” Tamlin had the audacity to smile. It set something off in Rhys and he punched Tamlin’s face again, and again, and _again_–

I realized he wasn’t planning to stop. I rushed over to them inside the circle and tried to get their attention. “Stop!” They didn’t hear or notice me. _Shit_.

I tried grabbing Rhys’s arm, and I ripped his jacket more. Nonetheless, he still managed to punch Tamlin. “Rhys stop!” He still didn’t hear me. I tried shoving him. When he went to hit Tamlin again, I took his face in both of his hands and turned it to me. The absolute animosity in his eyes almost made me flinch again. I calmly brought him away from Tamlin. I looked back and witnessed Lucien and Cassian pulling a bloody Tam into the kitchen. “You have done enough.” I gently said to him, no matter how much I wanted to yell. I needed to calm him down.

He just stared at me, dazed, his mind was somewhere else. I tried to bring him back, “Hey, I’m okay,” the scratches on his face were burning red.

“You’re okay,” he whispered back and covered my hands on his face with his. People began to holler at me for ending the fight. For once I didn’t care.

“I’m okay,” I repeated and he slowly nodded at me, taking the information in. He lifted his hand and started to wipe the tears off my cheeks. Forgetting my surroundings, I let him.

“Don’t fucking touch her!” Rhys and I quickly turned to a raging Tamlin. He was running toward Rhys, only a room away, fist raised. I knew Rhys wouldn’t fight him anymore.

When Tamlin was only a second away, I managed to do the worst possible thing: I let myself think.

And I talentedly, magnificently, and idiotically, stepped right in front of Rhys.

The punch didn’t hurt as bad as I imagined, probably because he wasn’t sober enough to focus.

However, it really did fucking hurt.

I held on to the side of my jaw that he hit, as if it would stop the constant pounding in the spot. Rhys was at my side right away, concern filling his expression. “Are you okay?” He looked as if he might cry. He scanned my face multiple times, then removed the hand covering my jaw and inspected it. I blinked. “Mor get some ice!” He yelled and I saw Mor follow the bloody trail into the kitchen. “I didn’t know you were going to do that,” he shook his head back and forth repetitively. His eyes were feral and his hair was tousled. He looked like a wild animal. I knew I probably did too.

“Of course you weren’t going to know,” I barely knew myself.

“I’m so sorry, Feyre. I could’ve stopped him–”

“I’m sorry,” The words came from Tamlin’s mouth as he pushed Rhys away from me. Rhys stared at Tamlin with a type of hate I had never seen before. If Rhys got that riled over what Tamlin _said_ to me… The amount of restraint he had frightened me, because I believed he could snap any second and there would be no stopping him then. I needed to get him out of here _now_.

Tamlin cupped my face and I slapped his hands away as hard as could. “Don’t you _dare_ touch me, ever again, or I will personally throw your ass through a wall,” I warned him. Rhys wasn’t moving, he wouldn’t do anything unless I told him to.

“Please, I’m so sorry,” Tamlin tried to apologize. I was so sick of his fake apologies, of everything, of _him_.

“I said, don’t fucking–” Out of nowhere, two big male bodies roared and threw themselves at Tamlin and hurdled into the ground.

“She _said_,” Cassian shouted into Tamlin’s face. Azriel held Tamlin’s head so Tamlin couldn’t turn away. “DON’T FUCKING TOUCH HER.” Tamlin started to blink fast, too drunk to comprehend what had just happened. Azriel grabbed and twisted Tamlin’s arm, a cracking noise came out of it followed by Tamlin’s roar. I winced. “You idiot!” He barked, I had never seen him so riled and angered. Blood ran down Tamlins face. “YOU NEVER HIT A WOMAN, YOU DUMBASS,” Then Amren appeared, and tsked in disapproval, as if Tamlin was a child.

“Hopefully after this you will stay away from all women,” she scolded him then kicked his groin. Tamlin yelped. “Or maybe they will stay away from you,” she shrugged, not caring either way as both pleased her.

I couldn’t stand to keep watching the scene and turned to Rhys, who was staring at me intensely, unsure what to do.

“I can’t be here anymore,” I shook my head back and forth and the urge to puke intensified. Rhys nodded, understanding. “Let’s go to my car?” I nodded back at him. Right before I started to follow Rhys, I spotted Ianthe a few feet away, eyeing a certain body part of Rhys’s. That’s when I snapped.

I grabbed a filled cup on the ground by a broken table. “Hey, _bitch_!” I yelled and her eyes darted up to mine, irritated and shocked at my audacity. No one had ever talked to her that way. “Look at this instead,” and I splashed the liquor on her face. I was actually the bitch, and I wasn’t even drunk.

A very satisfied bitch, that is.

Ianthe’s face was horrified as the liquid poured down from her hair and onto her clothes. She grabbed one of her cronies shirts and wiped her face off with it. I’m surprised she didn’t squeal or something, she only whimpered faintly. I gave her _my_ innocent face and waved, the one she always did, and that horrified look on her face turned into anger.

She didn’t hesitate to grab a can of beer and throw the contents.

Which landed on Lucien as he ‘accidentally’ pushed her to the floor. She squealed at that. Lucien told her he tripped on his shoelace. She told him he wasn’t wearing shoelaces.

Morrigan hurried over to me, holding a towel of ice. “I couldn’t find any bags, I’m sorry,” she handed the small red rag to me.

“No, that’s fine. Thank you, really.” She smiled at me then went to stand by Amren, who no longer stood by Tamlin.

I gave my attention back to Rhys and he raised his eyebrows, saying, _Did you get it all out of you?_ No. Not even close. I still nodded and went to follow him to his car. After I took my first step outside, I retched in the bushes. Seconds later, Rhys’s large hands held my hair back and he started to rub circles on my back. When I finally stopped, I tried finding the red cloth in the bushes, but the sight of vomit only made me want to puke again. I gagged, turning away.

Rhys handed me a large cloth to wipe my mouth with. After doing so, I realized it was his jacket, which I had no doubt was very expensive. Without it on, I could see just how defined his upper half was. I shivered.

Now it was all out of me. Rhys seemed to think the same thing as he asked, “Is it all out of you now?” I ignored him. He knew the answer anyway.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I folded the jacket up, making sure to cover the contaminated spot, and handed it back to him.

“Tamlin managed to rip it up anyway,” he shrugged, hands in his pockets, and looked up at the sky, “with his large kitten claws,” he muttered. I might have laughed or smiled if what had just occurred hadn’t. I was still shaking from it all.

“You started it.” I told him and he scoffed. I don’t know why I said it, because I knew I didn’t care that I ended up with him tonight. I guess bantering with him has always made me feel… _something_. Tamlin had always ignored me, and Rhys had never failed to give me his full attention, even when I didn’t want it.

“Assholes will be assholes,” he said simply.

“We should get to your car.” I suggested hurridley, “I don’t want Tamlin to find me.” He agreed and we walked to his car. I got in the passenger seat and propped up my arms on my knees and rested my head on hands.

I turned my head to the side to look at him. “You couldn’t have stopped Tamlin, you know.” His eyes went icy. “Please don’t feel bad for that. You didn’t know that I was stupid enough to do that. I didn’t even know.” I shrugged. “Besides, I don’t regret it.” The pain that was coming from my jaw suggested otherwise. His eyes sparked with mischief.

“If you wanted to be my bodyguard you could have just asked,” he replied smugly, leaning back on his seat, an arm resting out the open window.

“Oh really?” I raised a brow in questioning, like I might take him up on that, though from tonight's events, I was sure he could fend for himself.

“Anything for you, Feyre darling.” He smiled widely.

To distract myself from him, I admired the stars for a few minutes. The stars I always managed to fit into my paintings somehow. The stars I saw every time I looked into Rhys’s eyes.

So much for distracting myself from him.

When my neck started to hurt after a few minutes, I twisted my body until I was facing Rhys, who was, of course, already staring at me. This time was different. He didn’t look sad or pained or angry. He looked moonstruck and bewildered. I blushed, hard, and silently thanked the night for being dark so Rhys couldn’t see.

“You are terrifyingly beautiful,” he awed like he couldn’t comprehend it. Before today if he had said the same thing, I might have tried smacking him or coming up with a rude, unnecessary comment. Now, I let myself admire his impossible beauty. The light from the moon oddly made his blue eyes appear violet. His raven hair still managed to shine in the dark. And his face, that damn, strikingly gorgeous face. I realized he was grinning at me. “And just how long have you been _dying_ to stare at me like that?” Annoying was what I decided his face was.

Annoying. So many things were annoying, like the fact that I couldn’t go home, at least not for awhile. I let out a stressed groan and closed my eyes, then rested my head against the seat. “I can’t go home,” I shook my head and my pounding headache slapped me. “He will go there tonight and try to apologize. I don’t want to see him.” What I wanted was to scream again, I ran my hands down my face instead. “I have nowhere else to go.” I said quietly. The only other friend I had was Lucien. I hadn’t seen him since he knocked over Ianthe, which I would later thank him for, but there was no way I was going back in that house.

“You can stay at my place for however long you want. Stay there forever, if you feel like it.” His offer made my lip quiver. “You will always have a place to go.” I nodded and reached over to hug him tight. His embrace was warm and unusually felt completely natural. I thought I could stay like this forever–

“I should offer you places to stay more often,” he mused. I pulled away and he had the nerve to frown. I started to buckle myself, ignoring him. “My dad owns a resort where you could also stay–”

“Just start driving, Rhysand.” I caught him grinning as he turned on the car. I childishly flicked his nose as he started to drive.

“Cruel, beautiful thing.” He admired, then reached over and tugged on a strand of my hair.

“Prick.” I responded, and his laugh that followed that was as beautiful as the rest of our lives. Together.

**Author's Note:**

> lmao i wrote this forever ago and totally forgot about it. figured i might as well post it as i spent so much of my fucking time editing it.


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